How to apply for SEM Coach

About Resource Innovations

Resource Innovations is a women-led energy transformation firm focused on impact. It works with utilities on energy efficiency, load flexibility, electrification, and carbon reduction. The company describes its purpose as empowering communities with accessible, sustainable energy and water solutions.

About the role

This SEM Coach role delivers Strategic Energy Management initiatives and energy reduction measures for industrial and commercial customers through utility programs. You will work alongside an existing RI Energy Manager who already knows the customer, so your job is to add structured cohort learning, best practices, and accountability to an existing relationship. The role blends relationship building, engineering, and project management.

A typical day

A typical day may include working with an RI Energy Manager on a customer account, delivering or preparing SEM training for a cohort, and tracking progress on energy reduction measures. You might also coordinate with RI Engineers, manage project tasks, and improve SEM delivery processes. The exact daily routine is not described in the job details, so ask about team structure and typical customer engagement during interviews.

Who Resource Innovations is looking for

• Has experience delivering Strategic Energy Management or similar energy efficiency programs for industrial and commercial customers.
• Can build relationships with customer teams and work alongside an Energy Manager without trying to rebuild the account from scratch.
• Is comfortable delivering training, leading cohort learning, and tracking accountability for energy reduction measures.
• Can handle project management tasks, improve SEM delivery processes, and work remotely with utility program customers.

Tips for this application

• Name Strategic Energy Management directly in your resume and describe specific SEM cohorts, trainings, or energy reduction measures you have supported.
• Show that you understand the partner model: you will team with an RI Energy Manager who already knows the customer, so highlight examples of adding value alongside an existing internal partner.
• Connect your experience to utility programs, because this role delivers SEM on behalf of utility programs for industrial and commercial customers.
• Mention any engineering or technical background that helps you discuss energy reduction measures with customers and RI engineers.
• Address remote work directly by describing how you have managed customer engagement, training, and project accountability across distributed teams.

What to cover in your cover letter

Explain why you want to deliver SEM for utility programs rather than build a new energy management function from scratch. Describe a time you added structure, training, or accountability to an existing customer relationship. Show how you combine relationship building, engineering knowledge, and project management. Connect your work to Resource Innovations' focus on energy efficiency, load flexibility, electrification, and carbon reduction.

Research before applying

• Read Resource Innovations' website and any public materials about its Strategic Energy Management practice and utility programs.
• Research what Strategic Energy Management typically involves for industrial and commercial customers, including cohort learning and energy reduction measures.
• Look up the utilities or program regions Resource Innovations serves, if public, to understand the utility program context.
• Check the backgrounds of RI Energy Managers and Engineers on LinkedIn to understand how the SEM Coach role fits with their customer relationships.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• How would you deliver SEM training and cohort learning for industrial and commercial customers when an RI Energy Manager already owns the customer relationship?
• Describe your experience with Strategic Energy Management, energy reduction measures, or utility program delivery.
• How do you keep customers accountable to energy-saving commitments without damaging the existing relationship?
• Give an example of how you improved an SEM delivery process or project management workflow.
• How would you work with RI Energy Managers and Engineers to support energy reduction measures across a remote customer portfolio?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying as if you will build an energy management function from the ground up, when the role explicitly requires adding value alongside an already-capable internal partner.
• Focusing only on relationship building or only on engineering, instead of showing the blend of relationship building, engineering, and project management this role requires.
• Ignoring the utility program context and speaking generally about energy efficiency without tying your experience to SEM delivery for industrial and commercial customers.